Local

Embattled Pittsburgh police chief returns to work

PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh police Chief Nate Harper returned to work on Monday amid questions about a federal investigation into whether he was involved in awarding a contract to a shell company set up by his one-time friend Art Bedway.

Last week Harper declined to say whether he had received a target letter from a federal grand jury or testified.

Bedway, 63, of Robinson owns Carnegie-based Victory Security. In November, federal prosecutors accused Bedway of conspiring with a former city employee and unidentified others to set up Alpha Outfitters to win a contract to install computers in police vehicles.

Harper has not been charged and has said the police bureau “had no involvement in securing this contract or making any payments.”

The city paid more than $327,000 to Alpha Outfitters between 2007 and 2009 for work on police vehicles, according to federal prosecutors. A grand jury charged Bedway with bribery, conspiracy and mail fraud, saying he and former city employee Christine Kebr, 56, of Castle Shannon conspired in 2006 with others to form Alpha Outfitters as if it were a female-owned business so he could bid on a contract.

Last week, the grand jury heard testimony from Bedway and Kebr, who spent about 30 minutes in the grand jury room. She pleaded guilty in December to helping Bedway.

Harper has described Bedway as a former friend. The chief said his wife, Cynthia Harper, 58, once worked as a consultant with Kathleen Bowman, co-owner of Victory Security.

Nate Harper, 59, of Stanton Heights had been out of the office because of the death of his mother.

Harper joined the department in 1977 and is set to make $105,000 this year. He was appointed chief in 2006 by Mayor Luke Ravenstahl.

This article was written by Channel 11's news exchange partners at TribLIVE.